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I started shooting local chef/cook stories 6 years ago with the "build it and they will come" dream. Nobody came -with money- but I keep shooting the stories because (I believe) they need to be told - sans celeb chef. Eventually I got enough side jobs shooting video to quit line cooking and keep the restaurant docs going. http://www.youtube.com/docnoproductions

Emeril is lot more low-key in person than he is on camera, but there was an undercurrent menace there. Bourdain is lucky Emeril is a good key, because I'm pretty sure who would win in that fight. I'm surprised the show didn't mention that Emeril's foundation has given $500,000 to Café Reconcile for a new culinary center. It will provide students with advanced training beyond the current program at Café Reconcile. ← Now we just have to get the restaurants to pay the going living wage.

Awesome pics Todd. Thanks for posting them! Great article. ... I just talked with Todd and he suggested that I post the edible schoolyard videos that i've completed so far. I'm not an active self promoter, but with a little nudge.... The Edible Schoolyard in New Orleans:
The Citrus Tasting @ ESY New Orleans:

It's a brave new world of promoting New Orleans to tourists and still needing help with the devestated areas. here's a general explanation you can use with all your friends:Post K, 90% of the buildings constructed in the 18th/19th century are fine while 90% of those built in the 20th century aren't. When he said the area was pretty cleaned up he was talking about that specific waterfront as he gazed out upon it... Previously, cruising some side-streets, he showed, and made a strong point that a lot of the area is still trashed... He said that because it's not in the news much now, we tend to think everything's back to normal, but it ain't... He showed boats still in the road and other dramatic eyesores and devastation... ←

Oh man, I love eGullet. I just thought I was bitchin to bitch, but it's pretty cool to find out what actually happened. I know it's passe, but who was your go to for info in NOLA? Most of the time you got to have a sugar tongued local to get in the door (Poppy Tooker has the sweetest one). I think it disappointed the locals because we expected it to be more personal and "local favorites" oriented. Next time you're in town, try Rio Mar's Spanish muffalata! Thanks for your response.

I can't watch ICA because there is no humor in it, no wink/nudge like the original. IC is about the kitch as much as the competition. If that element was still there, you could laugh off this sort of thing.

" What kind of research does the network do? I really hope this is how the conversation between Alton and the food network went so that i can keep my respect for him and continue my distain for the FN's feudal chef system: A: i met alot of great small businesses owners struggling to be promoted in new orleans; can we make sure they get in the final show? FN: oh Alton, you're such an idealist, you dont know what the viewership wants. we will edit the final show into what we know works best; besides we enabled you to fulfill your mid life fantasy by allowing you to travel across the country in a motorcycle gang. "

In the article Julia C. says "the line is difficult to see, but i know where i mean to be." Knowing where and who they are is the biggest challenge for todays celebrichefs. Here is a New Orleans' post that partially explains the poopooing that Emeril (and others) get. (The reason Emeril did not open his N.O. restaurants after Katrina was not political) red tape, his people crunched the #'s and found that business interuption insurance was much more profitable than opening (and helping his community and employees). That, to me, is the difference between a chef and a restauranteur... the chefs do it for the food. the other guys do it for the bottom line. It doesnt matter what you think about Emeril personally - it has nothing to do with him. He doesn't make his own decisions. I believe that he wanted to come back and give a hand but his "people" told him what was financially beneficial rather than what was the right thing to do. P.S. The fundraising he did just after the hurricane went into what he called an "employee relief fund". Every restaurant employee was given a weeks pay, then laid off. But all of his office people where kept on. Again, the hostility aint against the man - its against the machine that surrounds him.

You have to stop by Parkway Bakery on Sundays (in NOLA) - they do a SSC po-boy that was the closest application to perfect i've had. If its true that food euphoria is closely related to ones personal time/space continuum - its perfection may have been related to my hangover those 2 crabs did battle with.

My Philosophy: The kids are enjoying the experience as much as their closest table. Its unfair to everyone when the kid just doesnt want to be there. My wife and I went to a brilliant French countryside restaurant outside of Lyon - you know the kind where the Kitchen has more square footage and better views than the dining room. Well, right when you walked in, there was an awesome play room full of toys just off to the left. It wasn't designed as an afterthought, it was a full length glass door full of toys so the parents, the kids, everyone knew where to go when the ants got in the pants. Everything about the place was spot on perfect. when we left there were kids playing in the room - it was soundproof too.